Thursday, August 14, 2014

Hang Up to Hang Out

"Hang up to hang out" is a phrase that we use in my family. I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but it simply means we do not have our phones out when we are together.

And here are my reasons why you should do the same.

1. Facetime Counts.

Why do you think FaceTime was invented? Because people like to see other people's faces! People want to see your face. When people are constantly looking down at their phones, we see the tops of heads, more than beautiful faces. I love seeing my friends faces. I have been known to use the phrase, "I miss your face" which is an absolute fact. I miss their face and not the top of their head.

2. Narcissism Does Not Create Self-Value

Ouch. Did she just say narcissism? Why yes, yes I did. How many notifications do I get on my birthday? Does my profile picture make me look good? How many friends do I have? How many likes can I get on a picture? Does anyone see a common theme? I, me, I, I. I could write the same comments for twitter, instagram, texts, and, heck, even this little blog here. We, as humans, do not get self-worth from looking at our own pictures, we get self-worth from other humans. Constantly checking social media is a form of narcissism whether you want to think about it or not.

3. I Want to Make Memories.

... not document every 3 minutes of my life. Sometimes as bloggers, we are the worst with this one. No, I need my phone because I have to take a picture for the blog. Well, I'm here to say I'm not gonna apologize another Monday weekend recap for not taking a picture. It's ok. I can document with my words and have a perfectly good recap of my weekend. I want a lifetime of memories, not a lifetime of pictures.

4. Don't Miss Out on Opportunities

Some of the most random memories I have made have come through talking to strangers. One of the craziest things from the bachelorette party I attended the other weekend was my table struck up a conversation with a table of older ladies beside us. One lady offered another table 50 dollars to switch tables with us so we could sit by another group from the bachelorette party. One time on an airplane, I sat next to a really weird guy and he taught me all about solar panels. He wanted to know why in Texas, where we get so much sun, we don't use solar panels. I had no idea, but now every time I see a solar panel I think of him. These are memories I would never have if I buried my head in a phone.

Sidenote: I am not saying go and throw your phone in the nearest lake/river/ocean. It's a wonderful modern technology that I use every day. Just be mindful of it and make sure it doesn't effect the quality of life you're living. It doesn't hurt to every now and then hang up and hang out.